If Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson completes all of his new, four-year, $21 million contract extension, he’ll have played NHL hockey for fully half his life. Larsson broke in at age 18 with the New Jersey Devils in 2011.
“Established himself as one of the solid two-way players in our game at that position,” said analyst Stu Grimson on NHL Network. “You’re so comfortable playing him in each and every situation.” Larsson has averaged a robust 23 minutes per game in three Kraken seasons. “He turns his ice time into meaningful, impactful minutes,” said Grimson, who also pointed out, “He’s a leader in this young organization.”
Added to this season’s final year of his current contract, Larsson is now locked up through the 2028-29 campaign. The 31-year old Swedish blueliner known as “Big Cat” is an original Kraken, signed as a free agent from the Edmonton Oilers in July, 2021. Larsson has played 245 (all but one) of his career 848 NHL games in a Seattle uniform, the most in franchise history.
Another value Larsson brings is a stay-at-home defensive presence, allowing offensive-minded d-partner Vince Dunn latitude to join the rush. “When one player’s having a brilliant offense year, like we’ve seen Dunn have,” Grimson says, “Larsson has been a really solid compatible partner. That’s not always the stuff that jumps off the page at you, but that’s an important part of why that tandem has performed so successfully.”
Larsson spoke to the media on Sept. 11, including how Dunn prematurely revealed a clue about the extension, in this Kraken Reaction.